Tiger Tales: Rumors Abound

Recent News May Increase Respect For Woods’

Accomplishments on and off the Golf Course.

As most Americans, full from our Thanksgiving meals, were just entering into the deeper stages of sleep; Tiger Woods was pulling out of the driveway of his Isleworth, Orlando home. He wouldn’t get far. According to police reports, his 2009 Escalade SUV hit a fire hydrant and then a neighbor’s tree in a single vehicle accident. Woods was transported to the hospital where according to some reports he was treated for facial lacerations. Now he will be treated to media speculation and rumor on a global scale. Reporters are already speculating about why he left the house and if there is any connection to recent published rumors (The National Enquirer) about an affair.

33 year-old Tiger Woods has won 82 times around the world. He wins an astronomical 30% of the time he tees the ball up a feat never approached by any other golfer in history (for perspective legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus trudged along at a 15% pace). He has been an exemplary role model for sport in general and golf in particular since he entered the limelight at 2 years old in an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show. Over the past 31 years his every move on and off the course has been scrutinized.

By every account, Woods has been a great role model. While athletes in every sport have made the headlines with their bad behavior from drug-use to dog-fighting to self-inflicted wounds to rape; Tiger has floated above the fray honoring the military, founding and financing a school and winning…always winning. He had shown us great courage and humanity while dealing with the death of a parent and career –threatening injuries to his knee. After the smoke clears on this one perhaps we should spend the remaining years in Tiger’s career respecting and admiring the difficult role top athletes play in our current society. Athletes who manage to balance great wealth, great talent and the fame tax should be rewarded by our loyalty and support.

You can also check out my comments in the ABCnews.com story which can be found at http://alturl.com/krp9